Birth of the Skynet SOP
New
- Location
- Puerto Rico
Tell the truth to the group:
[X] Yes
[X] Yes
Birth of the Skynet SOP
(Y2Q4 Opening Conclusion)
You had been dreading this moment for weeks.
The idea of revealing everything you kept secret, from S, SOP, the Seventh Seraph Revolver, the Wolf, and the Raptor; was nerve-wracking.
Especially S.
She had been monitoring them since they started working at Skynet, and you had no idea how they would take it they had an AI monitoring 24/7.
So, after much deliberation, you sent a message through SkyChat, requesting the team to meet at your home late Friday night.
And, just in case, you secretly went down to a GPL unit and created five additional SOP syringes, prepared for the possibility that they might want to be injected after learning the truth.
Later in the day, by 9 PM, everyone had arrived.
The mood was relaxed at first. Drinks were served, casual conversation filled the air, and for a brief moment, it almost felt normal.
Then, you cleared your throat.
And just like that, the entire atmosphere shifted.
The easy-going conversation died instantly, and everyone turned to face you with mild concern.
"Alright, John," Kora said, leaning forward. "What's with the late-night emergency meeting? You look like you're about to drop a bomb on us."
You took a deep breath. Because, in a way, you were.
You tapped a few keys on your computer keyboard, and the screen flickered to life.
S appeared.
Her usual confident smirk was present as she waved at the group.
"Hello, everyone."
The room fell completely silent.
Eris blinked first. "Uh… John?"
Cayde narrowed his eyes. "The hell am I looking at?"
Lance, arms crossed, frowned at the screen. "A holographic woman on your desktop?"
Ivan raised a brow. "Did… did you make an AI waifu?"
You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose.
"No, I didn't make her. Everyone, this is S. She's an AI created by Gale. She's been running Skynet's systems since I took over a year ago."
More silence.
Then, Eris let out a low whistle.
"Okay. That's… a thing."
Cayde exhaled. "Alright, let's hear it, John. The whole damn truth."
You didn't hold back.
You explained everything, from how you discovered S's existence in Gale's will; her subsequent evolution till her current form. Though you did not dare mention the reason she looked like that was because she got exposed to your 'stuff' and just blamed it on Gale's programming taking this route.
This was followed by the other stuff Gale left behind in addition to Glimmer; from the modified SOP, the Seventh Seraph Revolver and its infinite ammo system, and the existence of the Crying Wolf and Raptor, though you held back on some of the details on those two suits.
You omitted the part about the dreams, some things were too insane to believe, even with everything else. You just told them all the stuff came from time released messages from Gale.
By the time you finished, the room was dead silent once again.
Even S looked at them, trying to gauge their reactions.
You had no idea what they were thinking.
Then, Cayde was the first to speak.
"Wait a damn second." He pointed at S. "I always though it was strange that the lawyers seemed to have all the required data for my case, even stuff that I knew was classified. S are you the reason the lawyers were able clear my name?"
S smirked slightly. "That's correct."
Eris straightened. "Wait… does that mean you also got all the evidence that proved my case too?"
S nodded. "That's right. I infiltrated multiple digital archives and secured the necessary proof to dismantle the lawsuits against you."
Both Cayde and Eris were quiet for a few seconds.
Then, at the same time, they both said:
"Thank you."
S gave a small smile. "You're welcome."
That opened the floodgates.
The entire group suddenly began throwing questions at both you and S, ranging from what she could do to how the hell you managed to keep all of this a secret for so long.
Eventually, Kora narrowed her eyes and asked something you had been dreading.
"John."
You shifted uncomfortably. "…Yeah?"
"Why does S look like your favorite female character in what looks like something out of Rule 34?"
The room went quiet again.
Everyone slowly turned back to S.
And then, they turned back to you.
You felt sweat forming on your brow.
"No comment."
S smirked knowingly but said nothing.
Ivan squinted. "S, care to share?"
S simply smiled. "Mom was strange."
Cayde groaned. "Oh, for fu—"
Lance clapped his hands together, bringing everyone back to focus.
"Alright, alright. Let's move on." He looked at you and S. "John, you're telling us that this AI has been here since day one, managing everything?"
You nodded. "Yes."
Lance took a deep breath. "…Alright."
And just like that—they accepted it.
No arguments. No paranoia. No accusations.
They trusted you.
That realization hit you harder than you expected.
Cayde leaned back. "Well, damn. I thought this would be something insane, but you know what? This makes total sense. It actually explains a lot."
Eris smirked. "So… do we call her Big Sister now since she is always watching?"
S visibly stiffened. "Absolutely not."
Laughter filled the room.
And for the first time in weeks, you felt a weight lift off your shoulders.
The night was finally winding down after hours of intense conversation, jokes, and awkward silences as the group got used to S.
You were just about to relax when Kora suddenly stiffened and glared at you.
"Wait a damn second."
Her tone made your stomach drop.
"You said you injected yourself with SOP without any medical supervision?"
Oh, shit.
You barely had time to respond when Eris's expression also shifted into one of outrage.
"Wait, what?" she snapped, turning toward you. "You just... jammed a needle full of nanites into your body like some drunk med student?"
You tried to raise your hands defensively. "Okay, hold on—"
"John Connor!" Kora's voice cut through the room like a whip. "What the actual hell were you thinking?"
"In my defense—"
"There is no defense!" Eris interrupted. "I'm a goddamn doctor, John! You didn't think maybe, just maybe; you should ask me before turning your bloodstream into a playground for nanotech?"
"It was a calculated risk and I had S with me." You said weakly.
"Yeah, well, your math sucks!" Kora snapped, arms crossed beneath her chest.
Cayde leaned toward Lance, whispering, "He's screwed."
Lance gave a solemn nod. "Dead man walking."
Ivan sipped his drink, watching like a man observing a public execution.
Meanwhile, S stood in her holographic form in the corner, visible to you only; biting her lip to suppress laughter.
Traitor.
For the next ten minutes, you sat through a double-pronged verbal beatdown as Kora and Eris tore into you with the intensity of a pair of drill sergeants.
"Do you even know how many ways that could've gone wrong?"
"What if your body rejected the nanites?"
"What if the nanites went rogue and turned your organs into soup?"
"I swear, if you die on me because of some half-assed action hero move—"
Eventually, their fury burned itself out.
Kora sighed, rubbing her temples. "You're lucky you're still alive."
"Yeah." Eris muttered, glaring at you. "I swear, if you ever do something like that again without calling me, I'm stabbing you with an actual syringe just to prove a point."
"Understood."
"Good. And here I though it was Cayde that was an idiot."
"Hey!!"
With the crisis averted, you reached beneath the coffee table and placed a small black case on its surface.
Everyone immediately sat up straighter.
You opened the case.
Inside were five syringes filled with a faintly shimmering silver fluid.
"These are SOP nanites." You said softly. "If you want to join me and S, here's your chance."
Silence.
"Just to clarify, you're saying SOP works just like the game?" Kora asked after a moment.
You nodded. "Yes. The standard features plus a few extra tweaks Gale built in. Regeneration, enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, able to work in any environment. Real-time health monitoring and connected to S at all times. The works."
Kora's eyes narrowed. "And... the emotional suppression?"
"Gone." You assured her. "No risk of what happened in the game."
The group exchanged glances.
"So..." Cayde broke the silence, running a hand over his chin. "We'd become... supersoldiers?"
"Basically." You admitted.
The air grew heavy as they absorbed the gravity of the decision. You expected long debates, maybe even an argument.
Instead, Kora simply exhaled and said, "Okay."
Before you could react, she reached out, grabbed one of the syringes, yanked off the protective cap, and jammed it into her thigh.
"Kora—!"
Too late.
She depressed the plunger, injecting the nanites into her bloodstream with the calm determination of a woman sealing her fate.
The syringe dropped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.
"Holy shit." Cayde whispered.
Kora's face immediately contorted in pain. Her hands gripped the sides of the couch, her knuckles turning white.
"S!" You barked. "Monitor her vitals!"
"Already on it!" S responded. "Her heart rate's spiking, nanites are integrating."
Kora arched her back as tremors wracked her body. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she gasped for air.
"Kora, stay with us!" You said, grabbing her hand.
Her eyes, wide with shock, met yours.
"Burns... like fire," she rasped. "Everything... hurts."
"That's the nanites fusing with your nervous system." S said. "They're reconstructing basically everything in your body."
Kora shook violently for another agonizing minute. Her breathing hitched, her legs spasmed, and then….
She went still.
The room was dead silent.
"S?"
"She's alive." S said after a moment. "Nanite integration complete."
You released a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding.
Kora's eyes fluttered open. The brown of her irises shimmered briefly with a golden glow.
She sat up and rubbed her face. "Holy shit."
"You okay?" You asked softly.
She flexed her fingers. "I... feel everything." She said as she looked around the room.
"So... that's it?" Cayde finally asked. "She's... good now?"
"She's stable." S confirmed. "Hi Kora." S waved at her.
"Oh hi S. I will admit this need a bit of getting use to." Kora said as she was now seeing S like you do.
"Yeah. Well I am happy to report that the nanites have fully integrated with her system without any negative issues. And... well... I have something to report."
"What?" You asked.
S turned to face Kora. "The nanites... they're actively breaking down malignant cells. Your cancer is being targeted, isolated, and destroyed."
Kora gasped. "Wait... what?"
"You're telling me this thing is... curing her?" Lance asked, his voice shaky.
S nodded. "Based on initial scans, the nanites have already stopped the spread. If the process continues at this rate, I predict a 90% probability of complete remission within six months."
Kora clapped her hand over her mouth. Tears filled her eyes.
"Holy shit." Eris whispered. "We're talking about curing cancer here."
"No," S corrected softly. "We're talking about curing her cancer. Every case is unique but due to me having direct control of the nanites, I can direct them to attack the bad cells slowly and cure her completely in due time."
Kora turned to you, her voice breaking. "John..."
You squeezed her hand. "I'm here."
She lunged forward and hugged you, her body trembling with emotion. Lance stood off to the side, wiping his eyes with a muttered "Damn allergies."
The warmth of the moment didn't last long.
"Alright." Cayde said, cracking his knuckles and rolling up his sleeve. "I'm next."
The sudden shift made Kora laugh through her tears, and Lance barked out a surprised chuckle.
"Typical Cayde." Ivan muttered. "Can't let anyone have the spotlight."
"Hey," Cayde said as he grabbed a syringe from the case. "I'm a simple man. I see supersoldier nanites, I inject supersoldier nanites."
Without further hesitation, Cayde stabbed the needle into his arm and depressed the plunger. The effect was immediate. His eyes widened, and he groaned through clenched teeth as the nanites coursed through his system.
"Vitals spiking." S said. "Nanites integrating."
Cayde collapsed onto the couch, body twitching. Sweat poured down his temples, and you saw his jaw lock from the pain.
"How bad is it?" Eris asked.
"Comparable to Kora's reaction," S said. "Give it a minute."
Exactly sixty seconds later, Cayde gasped and sat up, breathing heavily.
"Well," He said between pants, "that sucked. But... holy shit, I feel amazing."
He stood, stretched his arms, and his eyes glowed faintly gold. "Huh, S looks real as hell."
"I heard you and thanks." S said, her avatar smiling.
"Ohhh man, this is gonna be fun." Cayde said, flexing his hands.
Next came Ivan. The man grumbled about being 'This is some weird shit' but injected himself anyway. His reaction was milder than the others, just a prolonged grunt and a heavy sweat; but after five minutes, he was back on his feet.
"I feel like I just shed ten years." he said, voice awed.
"That's the enhanced cellular regeneration working." S explained.
Lance followed, and despite his tough demeanor, his entire body convulsed with the force of the integration. Kora held his hand through the process, whispering encouragement until it passed. When he recovered, his skin had a healthy glow it hadn't had in years.
It took a few minutes before they continued with Eris due to the group trying to calm down after S told the group that the nanites managed to repair the heart defects she had detected, something Lance did not know about.
Last was Eris.
The good doctor hesitated only briefly before injecting herself. Her eyes rolled back, her jaw locked, and she slumped sideways against you. Kora held her steady as her body shivered uncontrollably.
"S?"
"She's okay." S reassured her. "Nanites working as expected."
After two minutes of violent trembling, Eris's eyes snapped open. She blinked, staring at Kora.
"You're warm." she said, voice raspy.
You smiled as Kora tried her best to not strangle Eris for her comment.
The silence afterward was profound.
You looked around the room. Five pairs of eyes stared back at you and then at S. It was surreal.
"Well," Lance said after a moment. "We're... officially freaks now."
"Not freaks." S corrected. "Enhanced. Connected. A team. You are all Sons of the Patriots now."
The comment made you blink.
"Did you just quote Armstrong?" You asked.
"Yep, but I am not wrong." She said.
"No, she is not." Eris said.
"That feels... weird." Cayde admitted.
"You'll get used to it." You said.
Kora tilted her head, eyes unfocused for a moment. Then she smiled.
"S... are you reading our thoughts right now?"
"No." S said. "But I can hear you when you direct your thoughts at me. Think of it like a mental push."
Kora blinked. "Oh... that's gonna be interesting."
"I think you mean fun." Cayde said back.
"Just know that if you start spamming jokes, I am making S here make your skin itch till you stop." You said.
"Noted." Cayde said.
An hour later, after everyone left; you sat in your chair and rubbed your temples.
"S," you said softly.
"Yes, John?"
"Did you mean what you said? About us being a team?"
Her avatar appeared beside your desk. "I did."
You exhaled and smiled. "Good. I think we're going to need each other soon."
"I agree." She said softly.
Outside the window, the stars twinkled ominously.
==================================================
The next day arrived far too quickly.
You woke to the familiar weight of exhaustion pressing down on you, but thanks to SOP the usual grogginess disappeared in seconds. As you sat up and rubbed your face, S's voice filled the quiet of your bedroom.
"John?"
"Yeah?"
"They're already talking me." She said with a chuckle.
"Let me guess—Cayde?"
"Mostly," S confirmed. "But Eris and Kora are also asking when you're picking them up for the 'field trip'."
You sat there for a moment, processing the fact that your closest friends were buzzing with excitement over what they were about to see.
"Guess we shouldn't keep them waiting." You said as you swung your legs off the bed.
Three hours later, after grabbing snacks, coffee, and enduring Cayde's relentless chatter about possible mech-loadout ideas, you pulled into the warehouse parking lot.
The group stepped out of the cars behind you, each of them craning their necks to take in the run-down structure.
"So...this is it?" Kora asked, adjusting her leather jacket. "This is where Gale kept her secret war toys?"
"Looks like a condemned bunker." Ivan muttered.
"Appearances are deceiving." You said, leading them to the chain-link gate. "S, if you would?"
The gate's electronic lock clicked open without a sound.
"Convenient." Eris said, stepping through behind you.
You reached the rusted side door and placed your palm on the worn scanner. The device hummed to life, reading your SOP signature. Green lights blinked.
"Access granted." said a robotic voice. The door groaned open.
"Welcome." You said as you walked into the dim interior.
The group followed, eyes adjusting to the shadows. S activated the overhead lights, bathing the massive space in sterile, white illumination.
And there they were.
The Crying Wolf battlesuit, sleek and predatory, crouched near the left wall. Its Railgun gleamed in the light, and its mechanical legs looked ready to pounce.
But it was the Raptor that drew gasps.
"Holy shit." Cayde whispered. "That's... a goddamn Raptor."
"It's real." Kora said in awe. "That's... not a prop."
"It's the real deal." You confirmed. "Built by Gale. Ready for deployment."
"Suck it Bandia, we Americans can make real mechs." Cayde said.
They moved closer, their steps hesitant at first.
Lance, the biggest skeptic of the group, circled the Raptor's massive legs, running his hand along the alloy plating. "This... isn't cheap steel," he said. "This thing was built to fight."
"Correct." S interjected, her hologram materializing beside the group. "The Raptor is equipped with a miniaturized Gale Reactor, a self-regenerating Assault Cannon, and a reactive nanocomposite armor skin."
"Wait, wait, wait." Kora said, waving her hands. "Miniaturized Gale Reactor? Your telling us that while we are still trying to find a way to make our reactors small for a naval ship, Gale went and made a smaller and working one for a mech?"
"Yes." S said. "Mom made the reactor, so it should be easy for her to make it smaller."
You crossed your arms and leaned against a crate, letting them absorb the reality.
"Alright." Cayde said, cracking his neck. "Can we test it out?"
"We could," You said. "But there's one problem."
"What?" Ivan asked.
You pointed to the mannequin near the Raptor's base, the Fortified Suit, hanging on its stand. "We only have one suit." You explained. "Mine. For the Raptor, SOP is just an optional way to pilot it; you can pilot it through the physical controls but you need the suit to interface fully and protect yourself from the stress of piloting it."
"How long to make more?" Lance asked.
"Two weeks." S said. "Minimum. The GPL can replicate the components easily enough, but calibration, sizing and final assembly take time."
Cayde groaned. "Two weeks? What am I supposed to do until then?"
"Wait like the rest of us." Kora said, arms crossed.
The team stared at the massive machine for a long time.
"Two weeks." Eris repeated. "I guess we can survive that."
"Barely." Cayde grumbled.
You then walked to the Wolf.
"This is the Crying Wolf." You said. "It's not just a recon unit. It's a railgun platform, built with stealth capabilities and advanced sensor arrays."
"Looks badass." Cayde muttered. "How do you pilot it?"
You glanced at S, who gave a nod. "SOP's required like in the game." She explained. "But there's more. The Wolf was designed with certain… specifications."
"Like what?" Kora asked.
"The Wolf requires a female operator like in the game but luckily this version does not need the pilot to have super PTSD to use, which is the plus." She said. "The minus however, is that due to the high-sensitivity sensors, the pilot must enter without any barriers between their body and the neural interface."
"Wait—hold on," Eris said, eyes wide. "You're saying... the pilot has to go in naked?"
S hesitated. "Yes."
The silence stretched as the group processed this revelation.
"That's insane." Lance said.
"Before you all ask, no I don't know why mom made it like this. Either she could not find a material for a suit to work, or she wanted to honor Kojima's original vision. That she took to the grave with her. But at the very least, this system works as advertise."
"Well," Eris said, hands on her hips. "I volunteer."
"What?!" Kora snapped.
"What? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Eris said with a grin. "I've always wanted to be a badass in a mech."
Kora rubbed her temples. "Unbelievable."
You caught the gleam in her eyes.
"You're tempted too." Eris said softly.
Kora stiffened. "What? No. Absolutely not."
"Uh-huh."
Kora said nothing more—but you noticed her gaze linger on the Wolf for a long time.
S caught your eye and smirked. "Looks like we have our test pilots." She said.
And you knew she was right.
"Wait." Cayde said, his voice cracking slightly. "You're both... actually gonna do it? Right here? Right now?"
"Yes." Eris answered nonchalantly as she unzipped her jacket and draped it over a nearby crate.
Kora glanced at the men, her expression somewhere between embarrassment and amusement. "After last week's Halloween party?" She said with a shrug. "This is nothing."
Eris, already stepping out of her jeans, laughed. "Exactly. If we survived an entire night dressed like naked fantasy elves in front of everyone, this is easy."
With that, the women stripped down without further hesitation. You and the guys did your best to act professional, though SOP's biometric readings told you all four of your heart rates spiked dramatically.
Though nothing compared to the girls' readings.
Kora finished getting undressed and looked at S. "Alright, S. What now?"
"Step into the Wolf's open chassis." S instructed. "It will seal around the operator automatically and begin synchronizing with SOP."
"I'll go first." Eris volunteered, walking toward the suit with confident strides.
The Crying Wolf's torso armor split open like a steel ribcage, revealing the padded internal compartment. Eris climbed in, and with a mechanical hiss, the armor closed around her, sealing her inside.
"Synchronization in progress." S announced. "Please stand by."
For ten tense seconds, the suit remained still. Then, without warning, the mechanical legs shifted, adjusting their balance. The Railgun swiveled toward the far wall.
"Holy shit." Ivan muttered.
The Wolf tilted its head slightly.
"This is... wild." Eris said, her voice crackling through the external speakers. "I can feel everything. It's like... walking in a second skin."
The Wolf crouched low, then sprang into the air in a short, powerful leap. Eris landed it smoothly, despite having never operated the suit before.
After performing a few more tests around the warehouse, including jumping to the top of the Raptor, jumping from it and landing on the floor with grace; she disengaged and stepped out, hair damp with sweat but grinning from ear to ear.
"That was awesome." Eris said as she got out and accepted a towel from Ivan.
"You did great." Cayde said.
"My turn then." Kora said.
Kora's synchronization process was faster, possibly because S had adjusted the calibration from Eris's test. As soon as the system locked in, the Wolf moved with such precision around the warehouse just like Eris did in her turn.
"Kora?" You called out through the Codec after seeing her move for some minutes. "How does it feel?"
The Wolf turned toward you. "Feels like I was born to do this." She said softly.
A few minutes later, the group moved outside the warehouse with Kora still in the Wolf.
The warehouse had been built far enough from civilization that you didn't worry about curious eyes. The ground was hard-packed desert soil with scattered boulders, perfect targets for a live-fire exercise.
It was time to see just how the Wolf's Railgun operates.
"Alright." S said. "Charging Railgun."
The coils along the barrel hummed to life, crackling with electricity as the system fed from its internal Glimmer-powered ammunition cycle.
"Target locked." Kora reported from inside the suit.
The shot fired with a deafening crack. The round streaked through the air and obliterated a boulder the size of a car into molten fragments.
"Damn." Lance said, shielding his face from the heat shimmer.
"Reload cycle complete." S announced.
"Takes about five seconds to reload." You explained to the group. "But it'll fire indefinitely as long as it has heat and power."
"We are so finding a way to put these in vehicles, hell; maybe into tanks themselves." Ivan said.
Then came the final test, the Wolf-Raptor unison.
You walked back to the warehouse, got into the Fortified Suit and then into the Raptor, walking it to the outside.
"Alright, Kora." You said. "Time to see if this carrying system works."
"Alright." She said as she then moved the Wolf, climbed up the Raptor till she got the Pylon and then latched on to it.
"Connection stable." S confirmed. "Charging Wolf's battery through Raptor core... charging complete in forty-five seconds."
"How does it feel in there, Kora?" You asked, seeing her face on your HUD.
"Feels like I'm dangling from a mechanical jungle gym." Kora answered with a chuckle. "But solid. The harness is stable. You good up there?"
"Let's find out." You said, tightening your grip on the controls.
You shifted the Raptor's stance, leaning into its gyroscopic stabilizers. And like before the machine moved like an extension of your own body—smooth, responsive, intuitive.
"Alright, S." You said. "I'm taking it up."
The jump unit thrummed beneath you as the Raptor's feet planted themselves into the cracked desert floor. You funneled more energy into the propulsion system, and the turbines screamed to life.
"Hold on, Kora."
"I got this." She said, voice crackling with excitement.
With a flex of your calves against the suit's internal sensors, you launched into the air.
The Raptor surged upward with a bone-rattling blast. The ground fell away beneath you in seconds, the desert turning into a patchwork of gray and brown shadows. The Wolf's additional weight barely registered; Gale's engineering was impeccable.
"Altitude: 1,000 meters." S reported. "All systems are stable and stealth systems are engaged."
You hovered there for a second, savoring the feeling of complete aerial dominance. The Wolf remained firmly attached to the Raptor.
"Alright." You said through the comms. "Now let's stress-test this baby."
The Raptor's thrusters roared to life as you leaned into a sharp, horizontal vector. The machine lurched forward, inertia pressing against your chest as the landscape became a blur of rocky ridges and dry, cracked earth.
"Shit!" Kora shouted with a burst of laughter. "This is insane! It feels like I'm riding a missile!"
"Hang tight." You replied, suppressing your grin. "We're going full tilt."
The heads-up display showed speed climbing: 300 kph… 500 kph… 700 kph.
The desert turned into a smear of muted browns and distant mountain ranges. You dipped low, skimming just a few meters above the surface. Tiny stones and sand swirled into the air in the wake of your passing.
"Still good back there?"
"Hell yeah!" Kora answered, voice buzzing with adrenaline. "This is the best roller coaster I've ever been on!"
Emboldened, you sent the Raptor into a hard right turn, banking nearly perpendicular to the ground. The inertial dampeners struggled to compensate; you felt the pull of G-forces squeezing your body. The Wolf clung to the Raptor's frame like a predatory beast hanging from its parent.
"Now let's test evasive maneuvers." You said, breathing through the strain.
"Bring it on!" Kora challenged.
You yanked the controls to the left, forcing the Raptor into a zig-zag pattern while still maintaining top speed. Dust plumes erupted in your wake as you darted between invisible obstacles. The feedback loop between SOP and the Fortified Suit kept your balance instinctive, while the Wolf adapted seamlessly to every sharp movement.
"The Wolf's magnetic locks are holding steady." S announced. "No degradation detected."
"What about Kora?" You asked.
"Vitals elevated, but stable."
"I'm doing awesome." Kora chimed in. "God, this is addictive. I can feel the shifts—like riding a mechanical stallion. Every motion, every torque adjustment... it's all there."
You surged upward again, punching through the thin desert haze and rolling the Raptor mid-air. The horizon twisted and inverted as you executed a full barrel roll.
"Think you can handle more?"
"You're not going to scare me off, John. I been facing death for two years. This is nothing." Kora shot back.
"Alright." You said, lips curving into a grin beneath the helmet. "Let's push it to the max."
The thrusters screamed louder as you initiated a vertical drop. The Raptor fell like a stone, nose-down, plunging toward the desert floor. The HUD counted the distance: 1000 meters… 800… 600… 400.
At 300 meters, you fired the reverse thrusters at full burn.
The descent slowed with brutal force. The ground roared up to meet you. You slammed into the surface with a jarring thud, landing perfectly upright, dirt spraying in all directions.
"Holy shit." Kora gasped.
"You okay?"
The Wolf detached from its mount and landed in a crouch beside you. The visor opened, revealing Kora's flushed, sweaty face and wide eyes.
"That," She said breathlessly, "was fucking amazing."
You gave her a respectful nod. "Told you Gale knew what she was doing."
The Raptor's systems cooled around you, heat waves shimmering in the air.
"S," You said, breathing hard. "Give me performance metrics."
"Wolf's magnetic system: optimal. Raptor's jump capacity: reduced by one percent with the added weight, but otherwise stable. Operator response time: both of you performed at peak efficiency."
"We passed." Kora said with a proud grin.
"Yeah." You agreed. "We passed."
"Dude that was awesome." Cayde said through the Codec.
"Wonder who will want the Raptor more, the army or the air force. Not to mention Clovis' face when we make the Raptor public." Lance said.
"Man, I can already picture a modified Raptor carrying four Wolfs on it's back and then dropping them from high altitude in a city in stealth mode. A squad of Wolfs will be a nightmare in an urban setting, let alone in the wilderness." Ivan said.
"Hey Kora, get out the Wolf, I want to ride John now." Eris said.
"Can you please not say stuff like that, it's embarrassing." Kora said.
"Don't worry Eris, once we create more Wolfs and tweak the Raptor a bit; you and Kora can ride John at the same time." S said.
"Oh god. I knew it. Organic or machine, you blonds are just insufferable." Kora said exasperated.
You just chuckled as the group continued to bicker between them as you took sip of water from the bottle you had stash in the cockpit.
Yet, even in the middle of this tranquility; you couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the first step. Gale had left all of this for you and some of you wondered why and something in your gut told you it would be needed in the future.
And whatever came next, you and your friends would face it together.
Reward:
Group knows about S and all the other stuff. Accept S and treat her like a normal person.
Group now has SOP.
Kora is on her way to be cured of her cancer.
Lance cured of his unknown heart problems.
They all have the following:
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of BLANK's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
Kora and Eris get the following:
Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
Group's Reaction to the truth:
98
+35 (Friendship)
= 133 CRIT
vs
8
+80 (Large secret)
= 88
Who desires SOP: (Kora is auto-lock)
Bonus-
+50 (Improved body)
+10 (Seen John's end result of it)
-30 (Connected to S and others at all times)
FINAL- +30
DC: 50/80
Ivan
Roll= 58+30= 88
Lance
Roll= 56+30= 86
Cayde
Roll= 78+30= 108
Eris
Roll= 81+30= 111
Girls desire to test out the Wolf:
74
+25 (High powered mech suit)
= 99
vs
2
+50 (Have to be naked to use)
= 52 CRIT FAIL
Eris Pilot:
98
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 133 CRIT
vs
26
+60 (First time piloting)
= 86
Kora Pilot:
65
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
vs
5
+60 (First time piloting)
= 65
98
+35 (Friendship)
= 133 CRIT
vs
8
+80 (Large secret)
= 88
Who desires SOP: (Kora is auto-lock)
Bonus-
+50 (Improved body)
+10 (Seen John's end result of it)
-30 (Connected to S and others at all times)
FINAL- +30
DC: 50/80
Ivan
Roll= 58+30= 88
Lance
Roll= 56+30= 86
Cayde
Roll= 78+30= 108
Eris
Roll= 81+30= 111
Girls desire to test out the Wolf:
74
+25 (High powered mech suit)
= 99
vs
2
+50 (Have to be naked to use)
= 52 CRIT FAIL
Eris Pilot:
98
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 133 CRIT
vs
26
+60 (First time piloting)
= 86
Kora Pilot:
65
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
vs
5
+60 (First time piloting)
= 65
Hey guys.
So here is the conclusion of the opening.
I originally planned on posting this with the rest of the opening votes, but looking over the length of this, decided to post it on it's own.
I already did the Ivan and Mars rolls, but those will be shown later when the votes are put up; hence the results being covered up.
And as it turns out, Kora and Eris are monsters just like John in using mechs, not caring about its embarrassing requirement.
Also, the Halloween Party mentioned here; my buddy actually managed to write it up. Sadly due to it's content, I will have to wait until I cross-post this quest on QQ to post it.
If you see any errors, please tell me.
By the way, I went and watched Captain America 4, and honestly I went in there to be disappointed, but ended up liking it.
Give it 8/10
So here is the conclusion of the opening.
I originally planned on posting this with the rest of the opening votes, but looking over the length of this, decided to post it on it's own.
I already did the Ivan and Mars rolls, but those will be shown later when the votes are put up; hence the results being covered up.
And as it turns out, Kora and Eris are monsters just like John in using mechs, not caring about its embarrassing requirement.
Also, the Halloween Party mentioned here; my buddy actually managed to write it up. Sadly due to it's content, I will have to wait until I cross-post this quest on QQ to post it.
If you see any errors, please tell me.
By the way, I went and watched Captain America 4, and honestly I went in there to be disappointed, but ended up liking it.
Give it 8/10
